International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (4), pp. 510-512, June, 2013. © International Scholars Journal

Short Communication

Record of egg parasitoids Telenomus sp. laricis group (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Chaetostricha sp. (Hym: Trichogrammatidae) from  Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse (Heteroptera: Miridae) infesting cocoa

P. S. Bhat¹ and Srikumar.K.K²

¹Directorate of Cashew Research, (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) Puttur 574 202, Karnataka, India.

²Department of Entomology, Directorate of Cashew Research, Puttur 574 202, Karnataka, India.

^*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 1 April, 2013

Abstract

Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse (Heteroptera: Miridae) is an economically important pest of cocoa causing significant reduction in yield and marketable fruits. From an economic perspective the other plants attacked are cashew and tea.  Survey for egg parasitoids of H.theivora from cocoa host has determined two parasitoids viz., Telenomus sp. laricis group (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Chaetostricha sp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Telenomus sp. was observed predominant with 3.2% parasitism and Chaetostricha sp. showed low level of parasitization of 0.8%. According to our knowledge this is the first report from H.theivora eggs on cocoa.  The parasitism provided by these parasitoids certainly warrant further investigations on biological control programmes for this economically important pest.

Key words: Egg parasitoids, biological control, H.theivora, cocoa.